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Previous March 9, 2025 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH ATOM EGOYAN Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter , Chloe ) joins Nick to discuss his latest collaboration with Amanda Seyfried, Seven Veils . Make sure to check out Seven Veils now in theatres. Interview conducted on February 13th, 2025 by Nick van Dinther.

Previous Next The Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Streaming Service Series. Each writer ranks his or her top 15 shows in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five. 5. THE MANDALORIAN Even casual Star Wars fans have to admit that the mixture of cool and cute from the duo that is Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu is something to behold. Add in an undeniably iconic Ludwig Göransson score and an all-star rotation of directors, and you get one of the most entertaining franchise series of the past decade. As they say, “This is the way.” - Amarú 4. STRANGER THINGS When people think of Netflix original series, Stranger Things is probably what comes to mind first. It’s filled with an terrific 80s nostalgia, a total mood that really comes through with the combination of The Goonies and Stephen King novels. All the necessary 80s sci-fi ingredients are here: great friendships, spooky woods, walkie-talkies, crackling phone lines, spirits communicating through electricity, and, of course, The Upside Down. It’s Netflix’s best show to date! - Paige 3. THE BOYS In what could have been nothing more than a raunchy superhero show, The Boys is somehow one of the most complex and smartest shows currently on streaming. It uses our current superhero-obsessed culture to tell an ultra-violent yet grounded satire featuring very complex characters and serious emotional depth. - Adriano 2. WANDAVISION WandaVision was a solid start to the MCU's evergrowing slate of shows. Its weekly format allowed for great theory-crafting amongst fans, whilst the sitcom-style episodes allowed TV fanatics to relive their favourite shows. However, it's the beautiful character work for Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) that really allows this show to shine, aptly displaying the effects that grief, loss, and trauma have had on her. - Joseph 1. TED LASSO If you didn't think that Ted Lasso was going to be #1, well then, you just didn't Believe. One of the most feel good series to come out in the past decade, it features an excellent cast, terrific writing, and humour for all ages. This series deserves its place atop every like-minded list. - Nick HONORABLE MENTIONS BOJACK HORSEMAN PEACEMAKER THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT MINDHUNTER WHEN THEY SEE US Photo Credits: Photo 1, 4 - Disney+; Photo 2 - Netflix; Photo 3 - Prime Video; Photo 5 - Apple TV+

Previous Next July 31, 2024 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN If you’ve been paying attention, one of the trendier themes popping up over the past decade is the multiverse. You have the MCU, of course, which has banked its entire post-Infinity Saga slate around the idea, but you’ve also got Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once , Star Trek , Dark Matter , the non-MCU Spider-Verse movies, The Flash , The One , Family Guy , Coherence , The LEGO Movie , Russian Doll , Rick & Morty , and many, many more exploring the idea. If you’ve seen any of those titles, you should have a pretty good idea of what the multiverse is, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock, the multiverse is the theory that there is a collection of diverse universes, including our own, that interweave to comprise everything that is possible. For example, somewhere out there is a universe where aardvarks are the dominant species, or where every single movie stars only Nic Cage (what a world!). The possibilities are literally endless. It's with that in mind that I often find myself trying to link two completely separate movies together in a sort of fanfic multiverse. Sometimes the two movies have similarly written characters in different eras, and sometimes it’s as simple as the two movies starring the same actor. For example, can’t you see a universe where Matt Damon’s Will Hunting in Good Will Hunting gets recruited by the CIA once he leaves Boston, then goes on to become Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne? What about connecting the dots to see how Inherent Vice kinda works as a prequel to The Big Lebowski ? Frankly, I love this general idea, and I do it quite often, if for no other reason than as a creative exercise to generate fun movie conversations. Also, it just adds a lot of fun to my movie watching, like a movie-based, plotline-driven jigsaw puzzle I put together in my head. I’ve given you two quick hitters above, but please let me share two of my more well-thought-out multiverse narratives. Sure, they don’t always line up perfectly, but if everything that is possible exists somewhere in the multiverse, these merged storylines are out there somewhere. Plus, it’s just a fun “what if…?” Don’t overthink it is all I’m saying. THE CRUISEVERSE Through soon-to-be eight Mission: Impossible movies, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has saved the world from countless threats, traitors, terrorists, and sleeper cells at great personal cost. For the safety of those he loves, he has been forced to give up his wife and live a relatively solitary existence, not to mention the countless injuries and near-death experiences he has experienced in the name of world peace. The thing is, even as he selflessly risks life and limb for the Impossible Mission Force (IMF), he almost always ends up getting painted as the bad guy, either by expert hackers or a mole within the IMF. What must this man do to get the benefit of the doubt? I mean, after all he has done, he’s still not fully trusted, having been either disavowed or flat-out considered a fugitive several times. At what point do you look at your government bosses and say, “Seriously?! This shit again?! I’ve been a top agent for more than 30 years! Fuck you! Remember when I scaled the side of the world’s tallest building to prevent nuclear war!?” Suffice to say, he’s rightfully pissed. So, in the ninth Mission: Impossible movie…let’s call it Mission: Impossible — GFY …Hunt realizes that he has had enough. He’s tired of living alone and giving his all to a government agency that very clearly doesn’t trust or appreciate him. He’s tired of the meager government salary and knowledge that he doesn’t have a pension or disability payments waiting. He’s tired of being sore, jet-lagged, and constantly trying to out-sprint death. Most of all, my man’s old… he’s just tired of being tired, which is why Hunt decides to break bad. He hatches a plan to escape the spy life by faking his own death and creating a new identity. Once he does that, armed with a brain full of national secrets and a Rolodex holding the names of terrorists, warlords, dictators, rogue agents, and arms dealers, he makes a quick and lucrative sale. Maybe it’s nuclear codes, maybe it’s the identities of undercover agents, or maybe it’s the location of The Rabbit’s Foot in a nice callback to Mission: Impossible III ; whatever it is, all that matters is Hunt is a very rich man now, not beholden to anything or anyone, and able to retire from the constant stress and gunfire of the IMF. As the credits on Mission: Impossible — GFY start to roll, the currently unnamed spy formerly known as Ethan Hunt sits on a private island, attempting to live happily ever after… …until the mid-credit scene, which is where we see that happily ever after isn’t going as planned. One year later, he’s bored and rudderless, lacking in structure and purpose. He misses the rush of being an IMF agent: the adrenaline, the power, the control. Even worse, he needs it. It was the drug that kept him going. However, he can’t go back after what he’s done, and there are only so many career paths that can provide the rush he needs. He despondently sits at a laptop scrolling the dark web, beard scraggly and eyes lifeless. He gets a random message on behalf of Felix Reyes-Torrena, a known drug lord, offering him a job in Los Angeles. He leans forward with a glimmer of hope in his eye. A small smile forms across his face. This is it, the fix he needs to get back on track. He trims his beard and brushes his now-silver hair, dons a gray suit and crisp white shirt, and tosses his passport into a briefcase. As his passport flies open, we finally see his new name, Vincent. The scene fades to black, setting up the tenth and final Mission: Impossible movie: Mission: Impossible — Collateral . THE McCONAUVERSE In The Wolf of Wall Street , a very green Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) is hired as a naïve and relatively innocent junior stockbroker at L. F. Rothschild. By the end of his first day, he’s a changed man, and it all stems from a lunch he has with senior stockbroker Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey). During this lunch, Hanna unleashes a philosophy that will forever change Belfort. It’s a wild, decadent, free-wheeling approach to life that includes — in the middle of a work lunch, mind you — ordering a stream of martinis that is not to end until one of them “passes out,” doing cocaine at the table , asking his brand-new hire how often he masturbates, and admitting the only two reasons to be a stockbroker are the cocaine and hookers. On top of that, he tells Belfort “fuck the clients,” that he should grab the money and run, and to feed off the client’s addiction of chasing money. Then, he takes him to a strip club. To say that the extremely rich Hanna gives in to his baser instincts while not caring about anyone but himself would be an understatement. Since he has money, it’s a persona that serves him well in the culture of Wall Street. However, a short time later, Black Monday (the stock market crash of 1987) happens. This causes L. F. Rothschild to shut down and foreclose, forcing Hanna out of a job. After that, we don’t see him for the rest of the movie, nor are we told what happened to him. But I think I have an idea… What happens to a wealthy man with seemingly no off-button and a probably addictive personality when he is suddenly broke? He hits rock bottom, often doing anything he can to reach the highs he had previously experienced. You’ve seen the cautionary tales of former NBA stars or lottery winners that end up living on the streets once the money runs out, and I don’t think it’s any different for Hanna. I envision him aimlessly bouncing around, looking for sex, drugs, booze, and “action” wherever he can find them. As a result, he becomes persona non grata in New York, so he runs away to Dallas. Why Dallas? Because it is an economic hub full of big oil money, so it’s a fresh start and a shot to get back in the game. However, he doesn’t have the connections yet and he’s rusty, so he finds himself on the hard-partying rodeo circuit as he continues to fight his demons. If you squint, there isn’t much difference in the level of machismo exuded by someone working on Wall Street (especially in the 80s) and a rodeo cowboy. Different brands of machismo, for sure, but unmitigated machismo, nonetheless. So, Hanna finds himself in Texas, getting drunk, doing drugs, and frequenting prosties, but since he’s no longer rich and wearing Armani suits, he’s operating at a bit of a lower standard. Sadly, before he’s able to work his way back into the financial world, he contracts HIV during one of his dalliances with a lady of the night. After several frustrating experiences with the health care system, Mark Hanna — the rich, selfish prick who likely thought himself invincible — comes face to face with the idea that he’s just another lower-class statistic stuck in the machine. From there, his outlook and story change, and he becomes a compassionate and selfless man who uses his wild-man tendencies to buck the system and help the helpless in The Wolf of the Dallas Buyers Club .

Previous November 7, 2025 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH HOWARD DROSSIN After working as an Orchestrator on the music for such notable films as The Woman King , BlacKkKlansman , and Inside Man , Howard Drossin takes over as composer for the musically-driven, Highest 2 Lowest . A favourite collaborator of director Spike Lee, Drossin chats about the pair's working relationship and seizing this opportunity. BB: You and Spike Lee have collaborated multiple times in various roles, what led to you becoming the Lead Composer on Highest 2 Lowest ? HD:  Well, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know and work with Spike for over 20 years. I was introduced to him on 25th Hour as Terence Blanchard's orchestrator. Over the years, he's hired me on a growing number of projects – from creating arrangements for songs to writing music for short films and documentaries. I would imagine that all of those experiences led to this film. BB: How hands-on was Spike when it came to the music, be it score or soundtrack, as it often plays a vital role in his projects? HD:  Spike is very much involved with both the score and the soundtrack from the beginning. He chooses all of the songs for his films and the scoring process is very collaborative. We discuss instrumentation and the tone for each scene. BB: The music in this film has such a strong presence, as if it's a character in and of itself, why was that important for this story? HD:  Since David King (Denzel Washington) is a music mogul, it seems natural that music would play a big role. I think both the score and the soundtrack are very narrative, whether it be Eddie Palmieri and his Salsa Orchestra performing over the Puerto Rican Day Parade/Chase sequence, or A$AP Rocky’s tracks that define the musicality of his character. BB: The score can be very chaotic at times. Whether it's a booming track that overtakes dialogue or a seemingly uncommon pairing between tempo/style and scene. Yet, it works. What was the method behind the madness there? HD:  Spike likes to juxtapose unexpected approaches together. For example, the decision to use “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'” over the opening credits, or the montage of current day New York City backed by a Rodgers and Hammerstein song written in 1943 for the musical Oklahoma . BB: Although you've worked as orchestrator and arranger on some acclaimed films (The Woman King , BlacKkKlansman ), do you think your work on Highest 2 Lowest will open some new doors and work as a bit of a launching pad for you? HD:  I hope so! I would love to have more opportunities as a composer and as a producer/arranger. BB: When doing something uncommon or unique as you did with this score and you hear divisive feedback, how do you respond to that? HD:  No matter what you do as an artist, there will be both positive and negative reactions, in particular when you are doing something different. I very much welcome everyone's feedback. BB: My favourite tracks in the film are “We Got This” and “The Chase” as they became a bit of an earworm immediately after hearing them. Tell me about the decision to use piano for those high-energy, suspenseful moments. HD:  Spike is widely known for his ability to discover new talent. He found the Fergus McCreadie Trio on Instagram and immediately wanted them to be a part of the soundtrack for the film. He sent me their record and I instantly became a big fan as well. We used one of Fergus’ original tracks (“Stony Gate”) as the basis for those two action cues on “We Got This” and “The Chase.” I wrote an orchestral score on top of the tracks to play the drama and action in those sequences. This was an exciting way to create, as I had my own vision, but also had Fergus' track. The two ideas stand alone and also work together, creating a unique sound that I think compliments those sequences in a non-traditional and interesting way. I loved working with them, even using the band as session players as an extension of the orchestra in many other cues. I can't say enough good things about their artistry, professionalism, and talent. Make sure to check out Highest 2 Lowest now on Apple TV+. Interview conducted on October 7th, 2025 by Nick van Dinther.

OUTER RANGE: SEASON ONE Starring: Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Lili Taylor, Tom Pelphrey, Lewis Pullman, Noah Reid, Shaun Sipos, Olive Abercrombie, Tamara Podemski, and Will Patton Creator: Brian Watkins NICK Throughout its first season, Outer Range tends to play things close to the chest - so much so that it doesn't really start providing answers until its final few episodes. However, the mystery it tells is enthralling, which makes the journey worthwhile. On top of that, there isn’t a weak performance to be found. Josh Brolin will deservedly get the headlines, but each supporting cast member deserves props for rounding out this universe in a believable manner. Whether it’s the writing, editing, or cinematography, it’s airtight on a technical level. This is a glowing example of what a series like Under the Dome could have been. QUENTIN Outer Range , which is like Yellowstone if it came from the mind of Alex Garland or Denis Villeneuve, does a great job of setting up puzzle box mysteries that immediately rope you in. Sadly though, it doesn’t seem too interested in answering many of the questions it presents. It just keeps stacking mysteries on mysteries without giving you much in the way of closure by season’s end. Truthfully, the acting is fantastic and I’m very engaged, but if Outer Range isn’t renewed for a second season, I’m going to be sooo pissed. I can’t genuinely recommend it without knowing if Season Two is coming.

Previous Next February 7, 2024 WRITTEN BY: NICK Even though the Academy refused to acknowledge it, The Iron Claw , the tragic story of professional wrestling’s famed Von Erich family, was one of the best films of 2023. Frankly, I’m not at all surprised it was so good. The real-life, behind-the-scenes stories from the world of professional wrestling are a treasure trove of good storytelling and something we need to see more of on our screens. On the documentary side, we have the excellent Dark Side of the Ring on VICE TV, as well as 1999’s Beyond the Mat , but for narrative storytelling, these true stories are mostly ignored for some reason. To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, I have compiled a list of pro wrestling tales that are most worthy of gracing the big screen or a prestige miniseries on the small screen. There may be just four listed below, but there are so many to choose from; so many, in fact, that I might even write a Part Two at some point down the road. KURT ANGLE Kurt Angle's story is a little different than most because it’s not specific to pro wrestling. It’s the story of what it takes to become a sports icon. Admittedly, much like his contemporaries, Angle has dealt with marital troubles, injuries, addiction, and legal issues, including five separate arrests for driving under the influence. That isn’t the story we're telling. Before entering the WWE, Angle was a successful and renowned amateur wrestler. In fact, he has been heralded as the greatest shoot wrestler of all time, and is one of four people to complete the Amateur Grand Slam by winning the Junior Nationals, NCAA Championship, World Championship, and an Olympic Gold Medal; the latter of which he astonishingly won with, as Angle put it, a broken freakin’ neck. So, let’s not dive into the cautionary tales that we’ve seen time and time again. For Kurt, his inspirational rise through the amateur ranks to Olympic glory, followed by his transition to professional wrestling (where he became one of the best technical wrestlers of all time, by the way) is more than enough. Everyone loves a sports story about driven athletes who reach the mountaintop, and Angle’s career has that in spades, from beginning amateur wrestling at 7-years-old to being inducted into the International Sports and WWE Halls of Fame despite the real physical pain that comes from fighting in the squared circle. CHRIS BENOIT & EDDIE GUERRERO At its core, this is the story of two men: Chris Benoit, the intense and consummate professional who kept to himself; and Eddie Guerrero, the charismatic showman. The pair became best friends while following very similar paths, with both working around the world as independent wrestlers before passing through ECW, WCW, and, eventually, the WWE. The focus here should be on Guerrero. Following a car accident shortly before arriving in the WWE, Guerrero became heavily addicted to painkillers and alcohol, resulting in a dramatic downward spiral. He fractured relationships with his wife, his children, and his friends. When he was arrested for DUI, he was released by the WWE. He seemed destined to become another “what if?,” something that happens too frequently in the industry. However, after numerous attempts to sober up, Guerrero finally got clean, presumably thanks to the aid of Benoit. He got his family back, his job back, and was able to make it to WrestleMania, the WWE’s flagship event, alongside his best friend Benoit, both of whom ended the show holding championship belts in a confetti-filled celebration. Flash forward a year from this feel-good moment, and everything changes. Although Guerrero’s story is ultimately one of redemption, his past indiscretions came back to haunt him. At 38-years-old, he suffers a fatal heart attack in his hotel room. It was sudden, and few were as devastated as Benoit. Flash forward again… two years later, seemingly out of nowhere, Benoit murders his wife and seven year old son before taking his own life. No one truly knows the specifics of what led to this tragedy, but a combination of concussion history, performance enhancing drugs, grief, and alcohol are all believed to have played a part. THE HART FAMILY As much as the story of the Von Erichs is legendary and filled with tragedy, the story of the Hart Family is just as expansive. Yes, the biggest tragedy – and the one most of those uninitiated to wrestling might be aware of – is that of Owen Hart, who fell to his death due to a rigging accident during a live pay-per-view, but there is enough tragedy in this family to create an entire miniseries. You have Stu, the patriarch and one of the most influential men in the history of wrestling. He not only raised 12 children with his wife of 53 years, but he founded and operated Stampede Wrestling, one of the more well-known promotions in the days of the territories. All 12 children became affiliated with wrestling in some way, making it the family business. Stu would train wrestlers out of his basement, affectionately known as The Hart Family Dungeon, where he would beat the hell out of them while showing them the ropes en route to becoming superstars of their own. The most successful of his children, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, is regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. A whopping 32x professional wrestling champion, he spent years on top of the wrestling world until leaving the WWE for rival WCW, which resulted in the infamous Montreal Screwjob. As a result, he wasn’t in the building for the untimely passing of his brother, Owen. Owen, for his part, was beloved by many and known for his practical jokes. Although his talent was undeniable, he never had a true breakthrough to the top of the card. For whatever reason, the WWE never saw his full potential. The story of his accident will sadly be what he’s remembered for, as the aftermath includes the potential crime scene not being preserved while the show continued. Since this was in 1999, most fans were left wondering what happened….was it real or part of the storyline?...since there was no social media to alert the viewing audience to what had actually taken place. That doesn’t even touch on the extended family. Both “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith (deceased at 39 years old) and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart (deceased at 63 years old) are notable wrestlers that married into the family. Both “Dynamite Kid” Tom Billington (deceased at 60 years old) and Brian Pillman (deceased at 35 years old) were considered as part of the family by the Harts. There are a range of stories to tell from this sprawling family tree, all of which could make for a fascinating narrative feature. JAKE ROBERTS In his prime, Jake “the Snake” Roberts was known for both his intimidating-yet-reserved promo style and for bringing Damien, a live python, to the ring with him. Later in life, he has been known for his issues with addiction and severe health concerns, likely stemming from the years of abuse he put his body through, be it in the ring or from a bottle. It’s his early life, however, where the true tragedy takes place. Roberts' father, Grizzly Smith, may be most well known as a hulking, 6’10, 350-pound wrestler from the 60s and 70s, but he was also a confirmed pedophile. According to Roberts, he is the result of Smith raping the 13-year-old daughter of his then-partner. Later, after a forced and failed first marriage, Smith’s horrifying pattern of sexual abuse continued with Smith’s second wife, as well as Roberts and his siblings. Roberts’ sister, professional wrestler Rockin’ Robin, claims Smith began sexually abusing her when she was eight years old. It’s safe to say that Smith was a genuine monster, and for Roberts, his upbringing greatly attributed to him becoming one of the heavier substance abusers in wrestling. As the years went on and continuous failed attempts at sobriety piled up, Roberts grew to a near immobile 300lbs. He battled muscular cancer, near-fatal pneumonia, a brain abnormality, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His name rose higher and higher on the list of the presumed “next one to go.” However, at 68-years-old, Roberts is still alive and kicking, making for a tale of perseverance and, unlike many of these stories, one with a happy ending. Thanks to fellow wrestler Diamond Dallas Page’s unique yoga regimen, which has been a saviour for many a wrestler, Roberts was able to finally defeat his demons, and he has been clean and sober for the past 12 years. A life that seemed destined for tragedy ends up a beacon of hope that, no matter what you’ve been through, you can make it through to the other side. That sure sounds like the makings of a film script to me. Photo Credits: Photo 1 - ESPN; Photo 2, 3, 4 - WWE

MARE OF EASTTOWN Starring: Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice, John Douglas Thompson, Joe Tippett, Cameron Mann, Jack Mulhern, Izzy King, Neal Huff, James McArdle, Guy Pearce, David Denman, Evan Peters, Cailee Spaeny, and Robbie Tann Creator: Brad Ingelsby JACOB You'd be hard-pressed to find something to dislike about HBO's Mare of Easttown . The detective procedural, directed by Craig Zobel, is the perfect vehicle for a miniseries of this scale. It's never grandiose and seldom epic, but it's always engaging, consistently challenging the characters and never seeking easy routes to resolution. It's Spotlight by way of True Detective , a combo that works brilliantly as the writing supports every facet of Kate Winslet's Pennsylvanian detective, a performance Winslet genuinely pulls off perfectly. Nothing about this series is meant to be mind-blowing, but it's as excellent (and excellently-crafted) as it is believable.

OBLITERATED: SEASON ONE Starring: Nick Zano, Shelley Hennig, Terrence Terrell, Alyson Gorske, C. Thomas Howell, Eugene Kim, Kimi Rutledge, and Paola Lázaro Creators: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald QUENTIN Obliterated is by no means necessary viewing…and it won’t be for people looking for high art…but as an action comedy that only aims to provide raunchy, escapist entertainment, it’s mostly successful. Having said that, I’m not saying it’s “good.” The dialogue is pedestrian, the acting is fine but nothing to write home about, and the general plot is fairly predictable. However, at least for me and my immature sensibilities (not to mention my affinity for Las Vegas), mixing The Hangover with 24 results in a decently fun time filled with sex, drugs, booze, twists, gun fights, and explosions.

LAWMEN: BASS REEVES: SEASON ONE Starring: David Oyelowo, Lauren E. Banks, Demi Singleton, Forrest Goodluck, Grantham Coleman, Barry Pepper, Dennis Quaid, and Donald Sutherland Creator: Chad Feehan QUENTIN I’m not sure why I keep reviewing Taylor Sheridan’s shows because I feel like I write the same things over and over again: good-to-great acting set against beautiful scenery, but in service of a too-sprawling, slow-moving story that features poorly written female characters. Those notes apply as much to Lawmen: Bass Reeves as they do 1923 . Sheridan has found his “brand,” and to be fair, it’s not without merit, but with so many Paramount+ series boasting the same exact pros and cons (not counting Yellowstone , this is his sixth(!) series since 2021), it’s just wearing thin. Is Lawmen good? Bad? Ehhh….it’s more of the same.

Previous Next September 23, 2024 WRITTEN BY: ADRIANO After last year's somewhat sluggish lineup (likely due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes), I can confidently say that this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was back in full swing with one of the strongest lineups in some time. So much so that even at 50 films, ranging from the Gala program to the Platform program to the Midnight Madness program, I still missed out on some films I wanted to check out, including Andrea Arnold's Bird , Carlos Marqués-Marcet's They Will Be Dust , and even Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis . However, despite those misses, TIFF is, once again, the highlight of my year, and the past three years of covering the festival have been an absolute privilege. So, without further ado, here are all 50 movies that I saw at TIFF, ranked: Also, in case you missed it, check out how Nick ranked the 40 movies he saw at the festival HERE . 50. PIECE BY PIECE Piece By Piece is baffling. The equivalent of a feature-length troll, this movie lacks any semblance of sincerity towards Pharrell's story, and it tries to disguise that with a questionable LEGO filter. Piece does nothing to change our perception of Pharrell, and it’s more interested in being a fluff piece with comically little about his family life or any humiliating conflict, not to mention a final ten minutes that just made me go, "No, they are not doing this!" If there is something more to Pharrell's story, this movie does a poor job showing that, and for a movie that preaches imagination, this had none. 49. ON SWIFT HORSES I couldn't have left the theatre faster once On Swift Horses ended. A truly dreadful experience, it may bring up some interesting ideas on sexuality and impulse, but it winds up being dull and shallow, evaporating any intrigue it ever presented. The cast is... decent. Jacob Elordi is clearly the best-in-show, but it gets so lost in itself and so visually ugly that I struggled to fully grasp what the central point of everything was. Some moments felt like they existed only to amp up the drama, but it ended up making me feel nothing. 48. PEDRO PÁRAMO Man, I was really rooting for Rodrigo Prieto. In his directorial debut, the legendary cinematographer shows nothing but absolute incompetency with Pedro Páramo , with everything looking poorly lit with plenty of weak backdrops. Worst of all, though, it is way too quickly into the movie’s sloppy structure and confused narrative when I was just completely out of it. It lost me so hard that, around the 40-minute mark, I fully gave up on trying to piece together what I was supposed to take away from this, which made the rest of the film pretty nauseating to sit through. 47. RUMOURS I'll always respect a swing for the fences, but you gotta have something to back those swings up. Rumours doesn't have that. I liked the ensemble, and it got some laughs out of me, but it pretty quickly falls off its central concept. Then, the laughter begins to trickle out, and the movie becomes utter nonsense. Its commentary on world leaders' incompetency is lazy, and for a movie with three directors, one of which is the seasoned Guy Maddin, it feels a lot like a student film. Rumours is just a really bad movie, plain and simple. 46. THE DEB At the beginning of The Deb , Rebel Wilson shows some heavy promise as a director through an excellent musical number. It all goes downhill from there. From then on out, the music is somewhat catchy, but the numbers are bland; the humour is incredibly obvious; it looks really ugly; and its commentary on Gen-Z is as shallow as the people it's trying to mock. I have no real issues with the ensemble, and the film itself has a sincere message, but overall, I thought a lot of this movie was rough. 45. OH, CANADA Thank God, Oh, Canada is short because I struggled through this one. Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi are great, but writer/director Paul Schrader's meditation on life and taking into account one's regrets winds up being self-indulgent to the point where the film's thesis gets lost. Schrader’s approach is just too all over the place to even respect the ambition. Not every directorial and writing decision is awful, but the vast majority are a huge miss. On top of that, the ending is laughably bad. Granted, I haven't loved late-stage Schrader, but this is my least favourite from him. 44. K-POPS! From an objective standpoint, K-Pops is horrible. The direction from Anderson.Paak is supremely flat with pacing that doesn't even exist, while the writing is a minefield of cliché, toothless commentary on pop culture, unfunny jokes, and unjustifiably half-assed story beats. And yet, despite all that, I kinda fell for it. Again, awful movie, but Anderson.Paak is entertaining in front of the camera, making it endearing to watch. Shortcomings aside, it's clearly made with no cynicism; it's just that Anderson.Paak is bad at making movies. Still, I didn't hate watching it. 43. PAYING FOR IT Paying For It hits the ground running quickly with an interesting concept that very quickly shows that director/co-writer Sook-Yin Lee didn't have that much on her mind. It could've been an interesting look at polyamorous relationships, but it's just the two main characters sleeping with other people for its whole runtime, never really evolving its thesis, content to just go in circles. There are a few laughs, and the two central performances are great, but when the movie ended, I didn’t feel like I went through anything interesting. A very repetitive movie that falls flat in too many ways. 42. SEEDS Seeds is very messy. The movie attempts to comment on the preservation of reservation communities, but, instead, it winds up being as shallow as the Gen-Z archetypes the film is trying to satirize. The movie also can't pick a tone to save its life. I'm not saying I never had fun, but the movie never commits to the horror aspects while a lot of the comedy falls flat. On top of that, a lot of the flashy concepts are underdeveloped to the point of just being nonsense. The ending does leave the film on a high note, but it's an overall mess. 41. THE ROOM NEXT DOOR It's with a heavy heart that I say The Room Next Door is pretty bad. Granted, it’s not the worst thing in the world, as I thought Julianne Moore and especially Tilda Swinton were great. I also can tell writer/director Pedro Almodóvar's intentions were pure in his approach to morality and accepting death. But, my God, the script is quite terrible. Beyond the Tommy Wiseau-esque dialogue, the movie starts with random non-sequiturs that add to nothing. I didn't buy the central bond, either, and the plot's progressions feel so forced. I love Almodóvar, but this is not it. 40. BETTER MAN My expectations for Better Man were really low, given that director/co-writer Michael Gracey's last film, The Greatest Showman , is one of my least favourite movies ever. So in that regard, I suppose Better Man surpassed my expectations. The CGI monkey looks amazing, and I do admire how unsanitized the approach to Robbie Williams’ life is. That said, while the movie tries throwing some flashing lights and gimmicks at us, it doesn't change the fact that it follows an uninteresting and basic biopic format. It certainly wasn't as bad as I feared, but I'll never see it again. - 39. UNSTOPPABLE Unstoppable is the same sports biopic you've seen before. I do appreciate how the movie skipped any pity for the protagonist, and I'm once again really impressed with Jharrel Jerome's range. However, it's an obvious movie that begins and ends how you expect it to. That's not to say ineffective, but it's lazy. I don't understand why filmmakers feel the need to go down this path constantly when approaching these types of stories. Also, despite great turns from Jennifer Lopez and Bobby Cannavale, the domestic storyline is really bad. Audiences will fall for Unstoppable , I'm sure. I did not. 38. ICK For the first half of Ick , I was having a ball because I was really into the maximalism of it all. I laughed along with it, I dug the 2000s needle drops, and when the central action first kicked in, it was gross and fun to watch. Then the second half happens, which just isn’t as fun. It gets way too messy, throws in some random COVID-19 metaphors out of left field, and a lot of the jokes and forced heart fall flat. It gets too into itself, and doesn’t have much else to say, sadly. 37. NIGHTBITCH Nightbitch is an interesting movie for many reasons. No matter where you stand on the film itself, it's hard to deny that Amy Adams gives a great and committed performance. However, Nightbitch is a story of two movies. One of them is a grounded and effective domestic story with realistic disputes and challenges, which I've always found writer/director Marielle Heller best at. The second is absurdist, which really brings the total product down. A lot of it felt random without bringing much to the table. It’s just sloppily thought out. I'm in the middle on Nightbitch , leaning slightly towards negative. 36. THE LAST SHOWGIRL The Last Showgirl just misses the mark for me. The performances are one of the obvious reasons you watch this movie, and they deliver. Pamela Anderson does something unlike anything you've ever seen from her, while Dave Bautista continues to show his range in a silent, nuanced role. Kiernan Shipka and Jamie Lee Curtis also are excellent. And admittedly, the movie is well shot and well paced, too; however, its story of re-discovering your purpose in the world felt pretty underdeveloped. It’s too rushed for its own good, ending up being ineffective. It might resonate with some, but I wanted more. 35. THE PIANO LESSON The Piano Lesson sports an incredible ensemble of actors giving it their all, especially Danielle Deadwyler, who carries the movie every time she's on screen. Sadly, that ensemble is the film's brightest spot because, overall, I found the film to be pretty messy. It isn't awful, and unlike previous August Wilson adaptations ( Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom ), director Malcolm Washington gives this more liveliness than a stagey feel. However, its themes of legacy and family are so lost in the film's many subplots that once the film reached its resolution, I didn't feel anything. 34. THE END I was hoping that Joshua Oppenheimer, a director whose documentaries have an incredibly cinematic vision, would bring that same vision to feature films. I'm sad to say, though, that his feature debut, The End , is disappointing. That's not to say it's all bad. The ensemble is excellent, the music can be catchy in the moment, and its ideas and execution of its concept are very interesting. That said, as someone who can handle a cold slow burn, this one's distance is not engaging, and it makes the themes of powerful people coping with their actions lacking in long-lasting effect. 33. PRESENCE There is a lot of fun to be had with Presence despite its many obvious shortcomings. I thought the POV gimmick might quickly become annoying, but it wound up being surprisingly effective. That said, the horror is just a weak backdrop to a poorly written family drama with M. Night-level dialogue that only Chris Sullivan is able to make sound believable. As the movie reaches its conclusion, the established rules start to make less and less sense. It genuinely made me wanna scream "WHAT?!" But... I kind of enjoyed that, despite it being utter nonsense. 32. THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA The Luckiest Man in America is probably the best version of what a movie adaptation of this story could look like. The story of Michael Larson (Paul Walter Hauser) isn't anything that grand, and I kinda thought the movie's attempts to make him out to be some folk hero were a little misguided; however, I still had fun. Hauser gives yet another great, ego-less performance that's easy to root for, and I enjoyed the kinetic editing. The writing is serviceable enough too, with some effective laughs and heart thrown in there. The overall experience was pleasant but forgettable. 31. ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL On paper, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl could have been one of the year's most talked about films, but something was lost in the execution. Well acted across the board, Rungano Nyoni wrote and directed this film with a very unique lens, leaning heavily into absurdism in its approach to toxic familial relations and the dark secrets that lurk underneath. That said, a lot of the absurdism winds up being less poignant and more confusing, resulting in a film that winds up being kinda messy and unclear on exactly what it wants to say. I respect the swings, but this was mostly a miss. 30. KILL THE JOCKEY Kill the Jockey has a whole lot of character to its presentation but falls flat when it comes to its actual characters. I do admire director/co-writer Luis Ortega's ambitions, and I believe the central conceit of "killing your past self so your true self can be born" may resonate with some given the queer storyline. However, I felt nothing for the characters as it became very clear early on that Ortega was more interested in how the story was told and not in the story itself. I wish we could've gotten the more realized version of what was intended. 29. JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE There is absolutely nothing mind-blowing in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life , but there's also very little to dislike. It's a sweet and innocent film, with sincere intentions in its approach to desire, some laughs, some nice scenery, and a great lead performance from Camille Rutherford. Plot-wise, once it gets going, it's pretty obvious where it's gonna land, and nothing really happens to dispel any predictable outcome I thought would happen. Nonetheless, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is a nice palette cleanser and an easy watch, even if it's just a one-timer. 28. EDEN As low a bar as it may be, Eden is director Ron Howard's best effort in a while. It's visually very bland, and it starts off pretty thin and uninteresting. However, once Ana de Armas kicks down the door with her new energy and show-stealing performance, the movie kicks into a much different gear. While still not excellent, the movie becomes an eye-opening rush of adrenaline that keeps upping the ante with its thrilling exploration of human nature and how ugly it can be when ego takes over. I wasn't expecting to be into it, yet I was. 27. EMILIA PÉREZ While there are a handful of misfires in Emilia Pérez , I still really admire the ambitions. In the back half, the movie gets really messy as they introduce a little too much and the genre anarchy becomes more of a headache than fun. Overall, though, I was into the insanity that writer/director Jacques Audiard introduced. Not all of the music hits, but I enjoyed the musical numbers themselves, and I thought Karla Sodia Gascón and Zoe Saldaña were amazing. Whenever the movie is centred and focused, I was thoroughly engaged enough to say I really enjoyed Emilia Pérez . 26. THE WILD ROBOT The Wild Robot is... it’s solid. The animation is stunning to look at, the score by Kris Bowers is fantastic, it's got a good heart, and its themes of community are genuinely effective. A lot of the movie works, but the overall story is very generic and not that different from other Dreamworks movies. I even found some plot threads to be pretty rushed - for instance, the motherhood storyline - while endearing, I think it’s a little underdeveloped for me to fully feel what it wants me to feel. The Wild Robot is inoffensive and really good even, just nothing special. 25. SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON There's a lot to like in Superboys of Malegaon , even when it's at its simplest. At over two hours, the movie stretches its basic concept way too wide, and it isn't until the final 30 minutes or so that the movie gets interesting. However, that last bit does successfully salvage the movie for the most part. As uninspired as the movie is, I found myself rooting for its protagonist, laughing alongside, and feeling the beating heart of the film, so it's hard for me to say I didn't enjoy it. 24. YOUNG WERTHER Young Werther begins pretty basic. The direction is flat and the plot progresses in a fairly familiar way to most rom-coms, only this time with an unlikeable lead. But then, the movie shifts its tone to become more mature. The performances of Douglas Booth and Alison Pill kick up a notch too. I began to appreciate it for its honest and often funny portrayal of modern romance, leaning into the flaws and insecurities of its characters as it approached a satisfying third act. I didn't expect to relate to this film in the way I did. 23. FLOW Flow is simply adorable, but I kind of wanted a little more. The animation is cute, with some beautifully grand visuals occasionally, and its concept is simple enough, featuring a band of animals trying to survive a flood. Plus, at just under 90 minutes, it never overstays its welcome and I did thankfully find myself constantly drawn towards the increasing action of the plot. However, the climate change themes are overshadowed by the "friends along the way" narrative. That all said, with no dialogue at all, Flow wound up being a very endearing watch. 22. WE LIVE IN TIME It's entirely possible that timing with personal things that happened in my life recently played a part, but I fell for We Live in Time . I recognize its shortcomings, namely that it's predictable and the film's non-linear storytelling doesn't add anything. That said, director John Crowley and writer Nick Payne seem to have had sincere intentions in making this, as the movie isn't overly sappy. It’s never trying to get tears, and is much funnier than you'd think. Plus, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh's chemistry and charm add a lot, making this a lovely film, warts and all. 21. THE FIRE INSIDE I didn't think I'd dig The Fire Inside , but I did. In her debut, Rachel Morrison shows she has a great directorial eye, as the film is excellently shot, especially the fantastic and kinetic boxing sequences. Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry are both incredible, too. In the first half, while some beats were familiar, it felt more realized than your average Coach Carter ripoff; then the back half made me remember that this was written by Barry Jenkins. Its position shifts to become an engaging and interesting film. The Fire Inside isn't groundbreaking, but I was pleasantly surprised. 20. THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG For the first two acts of The Seed of the Sacred Fig , the film is a fascinating examination of Iran's corrupt political climate, the way Iran treats women, the new generation's political ideology, and those who blindly worship the political leaders that they are forced to conform to. The use of a family drama chamber piece works wonders early on, even with its obvious symbolism. However, the third act sadly swaps tones to a cat-and-mouse thriller that is riveting on its own, but the points writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof seemingly wanted to make become lost. Still, I'd recommend this film as vital viewing. 19. HERETIC At its best, Heretic presents a wonderfully tense chamber piece with fascinating conversations about religion. Writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods show off their horror talents when, even in seemingly mundane conversations, something obviously sinister is under the surface. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are great, but it is Hugh Grant's deceptive politeness that blew me away. That said, when the movie gets into the back half, it gets a bit too silly. The conversations in the first half struck a good line between silly and intense, but when it leaned too hard into horror, I felt the impact lessen. 18. QUEER Queer is easily director Luca Guadagnino's most out-there film to date, which comes with some downfalls. The movie can be very slight for a lot of people, and some of the more experimental stuff will not be everyone's cup of tea; however, even though the film was close to losing me a couple of times, it never did. I was into Guadagnino's psychedelic and loose portrayal of desire and the dream-like atmosphere throughout, as well as Daniel Craig's outstanding lead performance. This is certainly not the director's best, but Queer is still another win for the filmmaker. 17. DEAD TALENTS SOCIETY Dead Talents Societ y is so much fun to watch. What could've been a cheap cult spoof on Beetlejuice turns into a little beast of its own, creating a hilarious, gory, and imaginative experience. The concept could have leaned into lazy jokes, yet it never does, and beyond the mayhem, there's a surprising amount of heart. The movie has a familiar but effective “found family” story that, even with the craziness and ultra-violence, has a touching throughline. Dead Talents Society is such an easy recommendation, and stay until the very end. Trust me. 16. CONCLAVE Conclave is so much goofier than you'd expect from a movie about religion, and I say that complimentary. Featuring a stirring performance from Ralph Fiennes, Conclave is sabotage, conspiracy, twists, and shock at almost every turn. All of it is natural, too, never for the sake of a cheap rug pull, but instead to elevate a high-stakes thriller that had me second guessing and feeling tense throughout. The ending could divide audiences, but I thought it was a perfect cap to a film about how religious institutions desperately need to evolve. A well-crafted thrill ride of a film. 15. BABYGIRL There is something interesting about Babygirl that I really love. It's a horny movie, for sure, but it's also very non-sensational. The eroticism is more in service of what writer/director Halina Reijn wants to say about untapped desire and power balance. Even in the movie's hottest moments, Babygirl is bound by a smart script that offers laughs and shock. With a great ensemble to back it up, I found myself glued to the screen, watching the mind games and dominance go down. If you come for the hot stuff, you'll get it…and a whole lot more. 14. THE ORDER I fell so hard for The Order . It wraps itself up a little too quickly, and I was a bit unsatisfied with how it concluded some storylines, but, almost from the jump, I was firmly enthralled with director Justin Kurzel's filmmaking approach to this police procedural and analysis of extreme white supremacy. On top of that, Nicholas Hoult is amazing, while Jude Law gives probably one of my favourite performances of his. Everything here is simply done well. The writing is precise, I loved the cinematography and sound work, and the tone is perfect. The Order is just a great movie. 13. HARD TRUTHS I've been awaiting the next film from writer/director Mike Leigh, and while Hard Truths doesn't quite reach the heights of his best, it's still a great outing from the filmmaker. Marianne Jean-Baptiste is a force of nature here, especially in the first half, when she performs Leigh's ruthless dialogue with a natural ferocity that made me laugh a lot. The second half dives deep into the darkness that plagues the lead and her family with some unsettling realizations and heartbreaking facts. The ending will leave many unsatisfied with its ambiguity, myself included, but I was really into Hard Truths , overall. 12. SATURDAY NIGHT Plain and simple, I loved Saturday Night . I do think it wraps up a little too quickly, but director/co-writer Jason Reitman ups his game big time here with a surprisingly effective ticking-clock narrative, unique cinematography choices, a pulse-pounding score, and stress-inducing editing. On top of that, the movie's really funny, as well. With an ensemble that's completely committed, Saturday features laugh-a-minute dialogue that feels perfect with the figures that are represented. Lastly, at a crisp 109 minutes, the movie gets to do everything it wants to do, and it balances all the characters wonderfully. This movie simply rocks. 11. FRIENDSHIP As a long-time fan of Tim Robinson's I Think You Should Leave , I'm delighted to say his comedic sensibilities aren't exclusive to sketch comedy. Thanks to Robinson's pitch-perfect delivery, Friendship contains plenty of laughter throughout. The constantly excessive absurdism of the plot and Paul Rudd's delightful straight-man act also add a lot to the experience when it comes to the hilarity. Did I think the movie's message on loneliness could've been executed better? Perhaps. But if you need to laugh consistently for 97 minutes, I don't know how Friendship wouldn't be exactly what you're looking for. 10. WILL & HARPER Will & Harpe r is the best Will Ferrell comedy I've seen in some time, featuring the laugh-out-loud moments that have been missing in the comedian’s most recent outings. Will & Harper is much more than laughter, though. For a documentary, the movie is very cinematic, and the core friendship at the heart of the film will make anyone smile. With its mature discussions and examination of post-transition life, this is a road movie that could be seen as necessary viewing. You'll laugh a lot, but when all is said and done, you may even cry. 9. FROM GROUND ZERO From Ground Zero , a film that is essentially a collection of 22 short documentaries, is a hard watch, but a necessary one. Each segment offers a unique voice and experience of the attacks on Gaza, giving the audience a full view of multiple heart wrenching realities of what life is like in retaliation to the attacks. It has the pitfalls you'd expect from an approach like this (some shorts stand out more than others), but seeing some embrace the dread of it all while others choose hope in the face of horror, From Ground Zero is thoroughly effective. 8. THE SHADOW STRAYS Fifteen minutes into The Shadow Strays , two badass ninjas cut multiple heads off, gun down multiple people, and slice folks up. So, suffice it to say, I fell for this movie quickly. The Shadow Strays rarely lets up with its ultra-violence, and when it does, it elevates the characters and the world around them. The movie never feels repetitive either, as director Timo Tjahjanto finds new and exciting ways to chop bad guys up…so much so that I found myself having a blast for all 144 minutes. If we truly are getting the sequel that is set up, bring it on. 7. ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT When All We Imagine as Light ended, I just knew I had seen something special. The film takes a very meditative approach, which could be slow for many, but for me, I found writer/director Payal Kapadia's life-affirming film astoundingly well-made and emotionally stirring. The central performances, especially Kani Kusruti, are excellent, the score and cinematography are beautiful, and its themes of love and the joys of just getting by are easy to relate to. By the end, I had water in my eyes and a smile on my face. One of the year's most worthwhile experiences. 6. THE LIFE OF CHUCK The Life of Chuck will make you want to dance and fall in love with life. Writer/director Mike Flanagan ditches his horror comfort zone in favour of a movie that boasts a great ensemble, a fascinating structure that allows one to piece the film together as it goes, and not an ounce of cynicism in sight. Just a movie about allowing your love to guide the things you do, and enjoying the rewards that come with it. If I had to criticize, the movie looks a bit too polished, but I nonetheless loved The Life of Chuck . 5. I’M STILL HERE I'm Still Here is a powerful history lesson and a tragic family drama wrapped into one wonderful film that sheds a devastating light on the Brazilian military dictatorship of the 70s and pays homage to those who resisted. While some of the images and details can be hard to watch, at the heart of the film is the impact on the central family, which makes way for some emotionally devastating and cathartic moments, led to perfection by Fernanda Torres. It goes on just a little too long, but I was fully enamoured by I'm Still Here . 4. VIKTOR With Viktor , audiences are given access to a whole new way of looking at the Russia-Ukraine war, and I thought it was breathtaking. For one, the cinematography and sound design are astounding, enhancing the movie in every scene. However, what makes Viktor stand out most is that the empathetic look at its central figure allows audiences to view the war at a distance while still feeling the impact of everything as seen through a deaf man's eager eyes. A powerful and thought-provoking look at individuality and one's commitment to their country, Viktor is quite outstanding. 3. THE SUBSTANCE Dear God, Coralie Fargeat, you absolute mad woman. The Substance is insane. While the film features not one ounce of subtlety, its in-your-face approach winds up contributing to the primal enjoyment of this treat of a film. The execution is unique and fun as hell from the get-go, but towards the end, as it plunges itself deeper into madness, I couldn't keep my jaw off the floor because of the prosthetic work and overall insanity of the situation. It may not be the most effective message on beauty standards, but a one-of-a-kind blast nonetheless. 2. THE BRUTALIST The mere existence of The Brutalist is something to be amazed with. Writer/director Brady Corbet's three-and-a-half-hour epic harkens back to the likes of films such as Lawrence of Arabia and The Godfather , a grand, multi-decade journey that shows us just how wonderful and ugly the “American Dream” can be, told through a breathtaking performance from Adrien Brody. With its jaw-dropping score, magnificent 70mm cinematography, and script featuring dialogue and circumstances so interesting that it made its long runtime fly by, I imagine The Brutalist will be examined for years to come. 1. ANORA To say writer/director Sean Baker has upped his game would be an understatement. Anora is a laugh-out-loud comedy, a non-judgmental look at the lives of sex workers, an absolute off-the-walls thriller, and a tragic exploration of class and the ways people are struggling to make it by. In many ways, Anora does it all, especially considering the fantastic ensemble, led by a magnum opus performance from Mikey Madison. It made me laugh hysterically. It made me grip my seat. It made my jaw drop. It broke my heart. It’s a one-of-a-kind, entertaining joyride that is Baker's masterpiece.

Previous Next August 22, 2024 WRITTEN BY: THE BITESIZE CREW In recent years, there have been a lot of hit movies turned into television series. Whether it’s presented as a remake (A League of Their Own ), a spinoff (National Treasure ), a sequel (Cobra Kai ), a prequel (Bates Motel ), a gap-filling story (Obi-Wan ), or something else entirely (Fargo ), viewers love to revisit worlds and characters that they already have some familiarity with. In fact, in many ways, these shows often enhance one’s enjoyment of the original movie, if not surpass it in quality, while introducing new audiences to fan favorite films that can occasionally be lost to time. With the news that Netflix is making a series based on 2004’s Man on Fire , with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stepping into Denzel Washington’s extremely tough-to-fill shoes, we started debating what the series might look like. Is it a prequel? A straight remake? Is it even necessary? In turn, that debate spurred a discussion about what movies we think would benefit from a series treatment, either to expand a world we’ve been introduced to, improve upon the film version, or to provide backstory or a continuation on a favorite hero or villain. So, what do you think? Would you watch any of these? THE SHINING (1980) The Shining invited us into one of the most iconic haunted buildings ever, the Overlook Hotel. Though the Torrance family is known to be terrorized by the hotel and its dark secrets, have you ever wondered about the other guests that have checked in? Creating an anthology series in the vein of Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone , titled The Overlook , where each episode follows a different guest as they lose their sanity while having their demons exposed by the hotel’s supernatural forces would be a unique approach. Plus, the anthology format could enable several well-known horror filmmakers, including Guillermo del Toro, Karyn Kusama, or Fede Alvarez, to helm episodes, with each adding their own spin to the mythos. Stephen King may not have been the biggest fan of Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of his novel, but if this series dove deeper into the lore of the famed hotel, not only do I think he’d love it, but many horror fans like me would as well. – Paige THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS (1987) Even as Bitesize’s resident Michael J. Fox fan, I can admit when one of his films could be done better. That's the case with 1987's The Secret of My Success , even though I do enjoy the original. If you don't know, the story follows a young man working in a corporate mailroom who assumes the identity of a made-up executive to rise amongst the corporate ranks... and then hijinks ensue! It's a fun concept, but a series remake could really flesh out the base storyline and make for a fun romp. Although the charisma of Fox is hard to come by, I'd have Niles Fitch (an up-and-comer best known for playing teenage Randall Pearson on This Is Us ) take the reins since he could handle being both the polished corporate suit and the rambunctious "kid" that is in over his head. In fact, it could be a true breakout for Fitch, and a resurrection of this oft-forgotten film. – Nick GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002) Some of the best fiction is based on historically accurate accounts of characters that allow our imaginations to run wild with how life may have actually been at the time. Using the rough and tumble world of New York’s Five Points in early America, there are few places that elicit greater natural tension with its inherent dangers, shifting political landscape, and growing ethno-cultural diversity. There is so much material to draw from to make this television series a supreme success, if provided with an appropriate budget and treated with enough care. I can imagine a series written by Steven Knight ( Peaky Blinders ) or Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan ( Westworld ), starring a badass Benedict Cumberbatch, Christian Bale, and/or Austin Butler. I think it’s high time we “settle for good and all, who holds sway over the Five Points!” – Preston THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE (2010) For those who don’t remember the film, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and the Cullen family battle Victoria’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) newborn vampire army, which is targeting disadvantaged teens as recruits. During the fight, the Cullens’ encounter a young vampire that pleads innocence, showing that the newborns are being controlled, before being ultimately killed by The Volturi, the largest and most powerful coven of vampires that enforce the laws of the vampire world. With that context in mind, I want a series that follows the army of young misfits prior to this battle and beyond, exploring how they came to be turned, their pasts, and their unique powers in an X-Men- like fashion. Some may have grouped together and lived in isolation, while others may have been taken under the wing of the more mature newborns. Perhaps some even returned to their normal lives. This series also would further explore The Volturi and how they came to be the law enforcers of the vampire race, with a stronger horror element than the films and more visceral vampire action. – Katie THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (2015) Just in case it hasn’t been clear before, big Guy Ritchie fan here, and after the wonderful Netflix series that expanded on the world of his great film The Gentlemen, I figured, “why stop there?” I believe The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is nearing cult-classic levels of underrated within Ritchie’s filmography, and the biggest reason is the main duo of Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) and Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill). While the former actor won’t get to see the light of day in a new sequel series, recasting here won’t matter as the movie itself was a remake of an already well received television drama that ran for four seasons in the 1960s, starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. The love for spy shows has been around for decades, and the buddy-cop dynamic of the two secret agents’ clashing American and Russian personalities would be an unlimited amount of fun to return to. Cast two up-and-coming stars (there’s a certain Powell that comes to mind) to get into new spy antics every week, and, guaranteed, the good times will roll. – Amarú BRIGHT (2017) I know what you’re thinking — “ Bright ? That shitty fantasy cop movie with Will Smith?” Hell, that’s if you remember Bright at all because it is, admittedly, very forgettable. That said, as mediocre as the movie is, most of that can be attributed to the cliché plotline and bland performances because the world building around all the unremarkable aspects is quite impressive. A modern world filled with humans, fairies, orcs, and other Lord of the Rings -y characters trying to coexist offers a plethora of pathways to explore racism, classism, sexism, religion, politics, and a myriad of other issues that currently divide today’s society. I’m picturing something like The Wire meets Game of Thrones with a dash of The Boys ’ clever satire. With Bright as the entry point, you can start over with a different location (the movie is set in Los Angeles, but what does New York look like?) and a new cast of characters, creating expansive opportunities for excellent and relevant storytelling. It could even work as an anthology like True Detective . – Quentin THE MENU (2022) The Menu is easily one of the most fascinating films of the 2020s, not to mention one of my favourites. One aspect that has always intrigued me the most is the film's main antagonist, Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). We get glimpses of his life through monologues and certain ticks he has in the film, but overall, the character is still a mystery. I don't believe stripping the mystery away from the character removes the movie's message, so getting deep into Slowik's psyche, in my opinion, would be a captivating watch. Witness glimpses of the abusive home life he mentions in the film, his humble beginnings that initially brought him happiness, and his rise to fame that ruined him by causing his disdain for the wealthy and fine dining. I want to see what led to him to open Hawthorn and what caused the psychopathic state driving the events of The Menu . Frankly, all this aside, I just want more of Fiennes as Chef Slowik, to be honest. – Adriano

ECHO Starring: Alaqua Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Chaske Spencer, Graham Greene, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, and Tantoo Cardinal Creators: Joe Quesada and David Mack AMARÚ Echo ’s five gritty and intense episodes really let us connect with Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), her story, and her ancestors. The indigenous cultural influences are the show’s biggest strength, along with great sound design and amazing stunt choreography. However, its comic-book aspects, while well connected to the story, are tonally disconnected to those more grounded facets, creating off-kilter pacing issues enroute to a lackluster finale. In the end, I left Echo wanting more of Maya, but also hoping that the MCU will get Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin 100% right one day. Also, shoutout to Graham Greene for just always being awesome. NICK The thing that made Netflix’s Daredevil and The Punisher great was more than just the violence, which is why Disney’s attempt to replicate it with Echo isn’t quite there. There are aspects of that grittiness, sure, but it mostly feels like a cheap imitation. Beyond that, the lead character (Alaqua Cox's Maya) is pretty unlikeable, so I couldn’t get emotionally invested in the moments I was meant to. Thankfully, there are some highlights including strong supporting turns from Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal, and the return of Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin. Plus, at only five episodes, Echo is an easy watch, but also one of Marvel’s more forgettable. QUENTIN Although there are things I liked about Echo , including a relatively successful return to Marvel’s Netflix-era grittiness, a couple of fight scenes, and the return of Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), it’s the MCU’s most yawn-inducing series yet. I suppose that’s better than being outright bad (or, as reports indicated, “unreleasable”), but even if there are moments of mild enjoyment, Echo is messily edited, poorly plotted, and terribly paced. Alaqua Cox does well when called upon to kick ass, but she’s hard to connect with in the quieter moments because of her permanent “badasses don’t emote” scowl. A disconnected character dealing with underdeveloped (and uninteresting) stakes? Why bother? PAIGE Compared to other Marvel series, Echo has a darker, grittier tone, featuring hard-hitting action sequences, a grounded story, and much-needed representation. In light of this, it’s a slow watch and occasionally extremely dull. The main character Maya (Alaqua Cox) completely lacks empathy, and the challenges she faces during the show’s five-episode arc seem trivial and small. This is where the plot falls flat. But even though I found this spotlight series to be mediocre, there might be enough for other viewers to find it engaging. ADRIANO Echo's whole idea of being the MCU's first foray into adult territory feels like nothing more than a distraction from the fact that the show has nothing going for it otherwise. The action can be cool and brutal, but its slow-building character writing is weak and lacks any real connection to our protagonist despite a compelling performance from Alaqua Cox and the supporting cast, namely Tantoo Cardinal. Echo feels like it's trying too hard to replicate what made Daredevil so popular, and in the process, being sorely mistaken on what made it good in the first place.